House GOP doubles down on bad hand

The House Republican leadership's strategy could set it up for two big defeats. | AP Photo

There are about 30 Republicans — a minority, but enough to stymie legislation — who have stood firm against legislation that doesn’t affirmatively defund Obamacare. Their sights are now shifting to the debt ceiling, and some are beginning to say they are willing to ignore the implications of hitting the borrowing limit.

“I am,” Rep. John Fleming (R-La.) told POLITICO, when asked if he’s willing to forgo raising the debt ceiling without a delay to Obamacare. “Technically, it’s not possible to default because there’s always enough revenue to cover the interest. If we defaulted it was because the president chose to default, not because we ran out of money.”

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Fleming said “nothing happens” if the debt ceiling is reached. Asked about market fallout, Fleming insisted both parties will suffer equally at the hands of irate American votes. “We all pay a price for that,” Fleming said.

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), a leading conservative, said the “central issue facing the Congress right now” is “delaying or defunding this bad law, Obamacare.”

Of course, all of this could change. Obama could be bluffing and decide to negotiate over the debt ceiling, a capitulation that Senate Democrats dread. A deficit reduction package could entice him to negotiate; so could pressure from labor unions unhappy over Obamacare and jittery financial markets eager for a budget agreement.

The more likely scenario is that Washington goes through a fall filled with false starts and near catastrophe. Boehner privately realizes it: Last week, he told Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) it would be difficult to find the votes to pass a government funding bill on his own.

Reid warned Boehner and House Republicans on Tuesday that he has no intention of giving in on either the CR or the debt limit.

“When it comes to holding the full faith and credit of the United States hostage, only those with a loose grip on reality would expect a different result than we had last time,” Reid said. “We’ve been very clear for many months — we’re not negotiating the full faith and credit of the United States. We owe that money, we should pay it.”